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– We encourage people to show their opposition to sacrificing some of the most spectacular nature on the coast, says Wenche Hovlid Sortvik.
He is one of the leading figures in the fight against plans to build five wind turbines almost 150 meters high in one of Norway’s windiest cities.
Just days after the conflict at Haramsøya in Sunnmøre culminated in the arrest of the wind power owner, opponents prepare a few kilometers further south to compete.
PROTEST: Wenche Hovlid Sortvik says that the protest action will be carried out within the law.
Photo: Private
The developer has to take care of the workers
On the Facebook page of the campaign “No to wind turbines in Stad”, Sortvik wrote the following in an appeal on Saturday:
– The destruction of nature in Stadhalvøya takes place until Monday, August 31. If Stad can be sacrificed, then nowhere is safe.
Many have commented on the post, urging to go into battle and show opposition when the machines arrive.
Director Scott Gilberg of Falck Renewables Wind Limited confirms in an email to NRK on Sunday that construction work on the road will begin Monday morning. And they are warned of the protests.
– We have spoken with our workers about this and we have warned them of different scenarios.
– Will not violate the law
In December 2013, a license for wind power was granted in Stad, but in recent years protests have increased.
At the same time, plans have been changed to fewer, but much larger, turbines. In March, the government gave the final green light to the Italian-owned company’s plans.
Opponents fear that bird life and special nature will be destroyed.
In the first instance, the construction of a four-kilometer-long access road will begin. The road will run from Borgundvågen and up the mountain where the wind turbines of the Okla wind farm will be located.
Sortvik rejects activists wanting to encourage people to chain themselves or physically prevent work on the road from starting
– We encourage people to behave, as marking must be within the law. We want to take advantage of freedom of expression and say what we want to say. But we don’t plan physical confrontations.
Ask people to pay attention to safety.
The director of Falck Renewables writes that he understands and respects that there are different views on wind power and that people take advantage of the democratic right to view this peacefully.
– But I ask that people take care of both their safety and that of the workers when they express their opinions. This is important to us, he emphasizes in an email.north.
Gilbert also writes that they have a license and the necessary permit to begin construction. He writes that they are happy to be able to start work on the wind farm, which will not only provide renewable energy, which will also have positive domino effects locally.
– Should have waited with the start of construction
Sortvik believes the power company should have waited to start work on the license issue and four exemption requests were cleared. In fact, the Storting has asked the government to re-review the licenses issued.
– We believe the license will be withdrawn. So the power company must show respect and not start work until the license has been reconsidered.
At the same time, the Motvind Noreg organization has announced a lawsuit to stop this and several other wind energy projects along the coast.
How many people will come to Borgundvågen tomorrow ?, Sortvik thinks it is unwise to say.
– This is a spontaneous brand, so we don’t know. But we know that the case has wide support and that it extends far beyond the borders of Stadlandet.
